Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are underprepared to serve children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), despite a growing need and increased expectation for ASD expertise. To understand this practice gap, 60 SLPs and 26 parents of children with ASDs were surveyed regarding SLP knowledge and competency. Of concern was that only about…

The person-centered individualized education program (IEP) transition planning has emerged as a primary indicator of quality services, and as a predictor for successful post-school outcomes for transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, these person-centered transition practices are not uniformly implemented across the…

The benefits of preschool, especially for low-income children, have been a major research and policymaking question in the last decades. As more children are starting preschool at the age of 3, and, with the development of programs like Early Head Start, understanding the effect of early literacy interventions for young children became…

In this case, a child with a spinal cord injury was denied access to an afterschool care program that her nondisabled siblings were allowed to attend because she did not meet "eligibility requirements." Specifically, the independent contractor who ran the program mandated that students be able to function in an environment with a student…

There is a growing emphasis on academic performance and educational outcomes for students with disabilities. This focus is demonstrated, in part, by the federal requirement to collect post-school outcome data from these former students (i.e., Indicator 14). The purpose of this paper is to introduce two states' approaches to collecting post-school…

The document reports the Alabama component of Project IEP (individualized education program), a project designed to identify and clarify perceptions related to roles in the IEP process as mandated by P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. It is explained that under Project IEP approximately 200 persons (including state and…

This study examined the opinions and practices of 59 of Alabama's rehabilitation counselors who are assigned to serve secondary students with disabilities. Results are presented within the areas of: (1) Individualized Transition Program; (2) student/parent participation in transition, (3) assessment, (4) vocational preparation, (5) service…